If Heather Bullard has one, then it's gotta be a keeper

With all the events I'm working on, carrying things around has become an issue. There are just certain things that I need to have at an arm's reach. My first attempt at corralling what needs to be close at hand was my "tool" belt; a lifesaver it's become. But I had a need for something bigger, to carry items that I don't necessarily need to have on my person, but need to come with me. I saw this bag on Heather Bullard's blog and was smitten. OK OK, her photography makes even the most mundane item covetable. But in this case, the bag's utilitarian pluses had me wanting one. For starters, the price is cheap; I picked mine up at the local tool supply company for under $20. The bottom is flat (and I enforced mine with a piece of foamcore wrapped in toile fabric). The pockets, oh the pockets, lots of 'em.

A little bit o' this, a little bit o' that

A post of randomness, but then again, this long weekend, as focused as it's been on the upcoming wedding, has been so wonderfully full of happenings. Time with Harleigh, probably more one-on-one time than we've shared in a while, long talks at the kitchen table in the early mornings over coffee. Lots of episodes of Parks & Recreation because we love laughing with each other as much as we love our gabbing. A long overdue trip to Target (I honestly haven't been there in for-e-ver) where we stocked up on summer sunscreen and goodies for her campers. Grocery shopping and then cooking dinners together. Working out together, our earphones on as we catch up on the Bravo Housewives. Tomorrow for Memorial Day I will be at church for a good part of the day painting scenery for Vacation Bible School.

Here is a small sampling of my hydrangea cuttings 

(I so need to add some other colors to the purple blue ones I have). 

When Gideon was younger, he loved to move furniture and pillows.

We'd come home and find a chair pushed to a new location, the pillows

rearranged on the sofa. A would-be interior designer?

Whatever the case, this poor boy, living in a house with two girly girls,

is bound to appreciate beauty in his surroundings. 

His bed is no exception. He loves to sleep with his head resting on something.

And so we added these pillows to his bed.

Big spoiled boy. Adore him.

Mandy, the bride stopped by today to drop off more stuff that I'll need to transport to the 

reception site. The living room and study are covered in boxes and bags.

Keeping my fingers crossed that everything fits in my SUV.

Here are just a few of the items I've crafted. Mandy and Tod are doing a cookie bar, with homemade cookies for the guests to take home in sweet little paper envelopes. I took one of her fabrics and decorated the jars; each will have a label with the type of cookie on it. They are also having a photo booth which we've created using a camera on a tripod, her signature yellow fabric as the backdrop, and enough props, hats and chalkboards to make for some fun picture keepsakes.

The fake gift that I created for the gift table is made especially for them (despite the fact that it's empty). The coral paper fits in with one of the main colors of her wedding, and the shells on the paper and as a topper are reminiscent of the beach where they got engaged (literally on the beach!).

Last Minute Wedding TO DOs

Taking these next few days to wrap up all of the wedding decor for Mandy and Todd's June 4 wedding. Gideon has a favorite napping spot underneath my craft table.

Found this miniature hutch at the thrift store and think it will be nice to hold my smaller sized scissors. It needed something to warm it up so I made this fabric banner cutting up an old lace-edged hanky and stringing them onto embroidery floss. My idea of taking a break . . . tackling a little, just a little, craft project.

No Rest Around This House

Well, except for Mr. G, who prefers the air-conditioned comfort of Chateau Gahan. And even shaved to a near-naked state, he likes his walks short, his play time to a minimum, and plenty of sofa time. But I on the other hand have been full of energy, haven gone back to the gym and gotten on a healthy eating regimen, thanks very much to my dear daughter, herself a good eater and regular at the Y. We've been getting up at 5:45 every morning, at the gym by 6:00, work out for an hour, then have time when we come home post-shower to have breakfast together and talk, which is super special for me since her work schedule at camp has her gone all day, at least two evenings a week, and a good many weekends. I feel energized yet calm, a wonderful combination that feels very peaceful (not to mention that in a household with no cable, the TV time on the elliptical is as decadent as a piece of chocolate cake).

Today I had off work, and after my morning gym time, sewed for the wedding I've been working on that happens next weekend. Sewed all day, loving every minute of it. My king size bed has become a work surface, the sewing machine is a permanent fixture on my craft table, and the ironing board has become a piece of bedroom furniture. Can't wait to share all of the prettiness!

What a glorious weekend!

The weather couldn't have been more perfect. I didn't have a ton of TO DO's but was kept busy anyway, spurred on to get things done around the house simply because the inspiration of an open window was there to make every chore a joy! Got the refrigerator and freezer purged of expired food and wiped down to sparkle. The yard boy came and turned my overgrown lot into a lawn fit for royalty. Crafted on my new table. Mopped and vacuumed. Ran errands just as an excuse to enjoy everyone's good moods.

At a yard sale of a family selling a household of furniture from a relative recently passed, I fell in love with this heavy wrought iron coat tree. It comes apart into two pieces. I do believe I'll give it a coat of white paint. She possesses such fine bones and adornment. How could I turn it down?

Mr. Gidoen got a bath and a grooming, having taken on a mighty stink from the past week of endless showers.
At Goodwill I found this vintage bed jacket, which I think Harleigh will love to wear with jeans and a white cami. Love how the button adornments look like musical notes. And don't ya just love the fonts used on vintage clothing labels?

With Easter around the corner, I'm thinking about how I'm going to dye eggs. In the meantime, the church has asked us to take home empty eggs and fill them for the upcoming Easter Egg Hunt. Two bags of eggs came home with me to fill with not candy, but trinkets I have on hand in ye ol' craft room.

Birthday, Spring Day

Gideon is four today! I left our dog walker a note, along with a special clover necklace from the birthday boy. Hopefully she'll bring one of his BFFs over to play. That always makes for a special day for our little man.
Here is a close-up of one of the elements for this coming weekend's baby shower. So much fun to handcraft so many of the items. This evening I'll be focusing on the cups.
This morning out my kitchen window . . . it looked like a fairy garden.

Someone is turning four!

Gideon has a birthday coming up on Thursday — St. Patty's Day! Thought we'd get in the spirit this past weekend with an over-the-top green bow tie. I'm so glad dear Giddy inherited his "mom's" dry sense of humor!

Nesting has never been finer

With Chateau Gahan to myself (and dear Gideon, of course), the urge to nest has increased twofold. Sometimes it feels like I'm a little girl playing house; almost a surreal feeling of enjoying my home and being very deliberate about the tasks at hand, approaching each daily motion — whether it be cooking a meal or hanging curtains — with a joy and appreciation for the simplicity that I call home.

Last weekend while at the hair salon, I devoured all the magazines that women gettin' their do's done enjoy, everything from glossy fashion tomes to celebrity rags. One idea popped out of the pages, a simple home decor tip for taking the fireplace from Winter to Spring. Simply wrap logs in Christmas lights. I started with a fireplace cleaning, removing all the ashes and giving it a good vacuuming. Then with the logs in place, the lights out in the living room, the glow was lovely. Here is my favorite fireplace chair, a piece that co-worker Jenn found in the dumpster. It's the perfect height for snuggling up to the hearth.

The front door is dressed up with a Spring arrangement.
Gideon, with a heavy Winter coat (that will soon be shorn into warm-weather length) has taken to sleeping on the cooler hardwood floors. And finding a spot under the table has the added perk of a headrest.
You can see, the haircut is much needed. The poor boy can't see, what with the Justin Bieber bang he's got goin' on.
Here's a sneak peek at a project I'm close to completing.
And the foyer is enjoying afternoons of being bathed in sunlight, with outdoor weather to match the warmth inside.

The Big One Nine

Harleigh turned 19 today!

She drove home from school on Friday and we went out to dinner, Japanese (where we had far less new things to talk about than most mother and daughter-home-from-college, simply because we talk to each other a zillion times a day), and then with giggles and an excitement probably more at-home on a 13-year-old, headed to the movies to see Justin Bieber's Never Say Never. Loved it loved it loved it. I AM a belieber. Came back to Chateau Gahan and caught up on two old episodes of Modern Family, then hit the hay.

The next morning Harleigh had a hair salon appointment, we ran a bunch of errands and did some shopping, then off to my mom and dad's for a birthday dinner extraordinaire (dang, that woman has a way in the kitchen). This morning my girlie left early to go back to the 'boro, a looming test on Tuesday causing some angst and the need to get back and to the library for some head-in-the-books studying.

Our time together was super short, but so very sweet. I thought I loved her most when as a pregnant woman she grew inside me. And then when she was born, and I held her 6 pound 11 ounce cocooned body, nose flattened to her face, eyes swollen shut . . . love you most now, baby girl. As toddler, growing into her teens, there were moments when I easily loved her more than ever (and times I wanted to sell her to the gypsies). And now, holding this beautiful woman in my arms, kissing her cheek, her forehead, stroking her hair, I think my heart's going to burst with love, respect, and pride. Two or nineteen, every birthday is another year to realize I've fallen in love again, even more, because with every year, there is more and more to love.

When he heard "Harleigh's coming home," this is where he stayed until her car drove up in the driveway.
I made a welcome "banner" to greet her when she walked in the door.
One of her birthday gifts . . .
An ENO camping hammock. Boy, does this girl loves to camp. Didn't get that gene from me, the woman who can't go anywhere there isn't an outlet for my hair dryer and a warm bed to fall into at slumbertime.

Feelin' the love at Chateau Gahan

Yesterday I picked up Mr. Gideon from the groomer, where he has a standing appointment once every two weeks. (You don't think these good looks come without some effort and expense, do ya?) I'm rather fond of this boutique of bow wow coiffures. First of all, I adore everyone who works there. Dropping Mr. G off and picking him up — if there isn't another customer waiting — usually means a good chat with owner Mr. Ron, manager Kennetha, and the staff who work tirelessly to make our babies look and smell good. Giddy is one of the big boys in the client lineup; most tend to be of the smaller, more frou-frou breeds. When I say "Mr. Ron," Gideon instantly cocks his head and makes a beeline for the car. There's no mistaken . . . he loves a trip to the beauty parlor as much as most girls do.

After paying on Saturday, Kathleen handed me a red long-stem rose, a Valentine's gift for all the customers. Who knew that the most romantic thing to happen to me this Valentine's would be a rose from Pet Boutique? Love comes in all kinds of ways and sometimes from whom we least expect!
Here is handsome Gideon, pooped from the primping, and sporting a Valentine red-and-white bandana.
Here is a little ceramic shoe with cherub I found at Goodwill, perfect for this love-ly holiday.

Valentine Garland and a Clothespin Bag

Been inspired by all the crafty bloggers out there festooning their homes with Valentine garland and bunting. Armed with my tried-and-true scrapbook paper stash, vintage buttons, embroidery floss,an old piece of lace to be cut, and white cotton rope, my mantle got into the spirit of love.



For Christmas my mom got me this vintage clothespin bag. I've tied it to the back of the chair at my craft table, a perfect place to stash whatever needs a cute place to live.
And while I craft, Gideon insists on stuffing his napping self into a chair two times too small for his bug furry frame, a tangle of limbs a testament to the fact.